Gun classes fill up as concealed carry nears

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Article published Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Gun classes fill up as concealed carry nears

By IGNAZIO MESSINA
BLADE STAFF WRITER

West Toledo resident Barb Korn grinned yesterday as she
picked up a silver Smith & Wesson revolver – holding it with
both hands and aiming it.

“I like this,” she said, staring down the gun’s sights.

Ms. Korn, 60, was among nearly 25 people taking a 12-hour
class at Cleland’s Outdoor World on Airport Highway. The
training is required in order to carry a firearm under
Ohio’s new concealed weapons law.

“I was mugged previously and I want to be able to defend
myself,” she said. “I will feel safer.”

The law, which goes into effect April 8, requires sheriffs
to approve a concealed-handgun license if the applicant
completes 10 hours of classroom training and two hours of
live-fire training, pays a fee, and passes an exam. Lucas
County Sheriff James Telb predicted that a couple thousand
Lucas County residents would seek a permit.

In nearby Berkey, Toledo Trap & Skeet has had trouble
keeping pace with the demand for the training.

“All sorts of people have been taking the class – old
ladies, guys, people who handle a lot of money – all sorts
of people,” said Jason Sarnham, the store’s manager.
“People have mostly been interested in small-caliber pistols
- something that is easy to carry and hide.”

Dave Matile of Sylvania has never felt unsafe but thinks
carrying a firearm is a good idea.

“It’s just like having a fire extinguisher,” Mr. Matile, 34,
said. “You hope you never have to use it, but you have it
just in case.”

Chad Cleland, of Cleland’s Outdoor World, said some of the
most important elements of the training include safety, how
to avoid a conflict situation, when it’s permissible to use
deadly force, and marksmanship.

“We spend a couple hours teaching deadly force and the first
thing we teach is how to get out of the situation,” he said.
“When we go over deadly force, we have some people who
realize that it’s more responsibility than they want, so
they excuse themselves from the class.”

Mr. Cleland said that after Gov. Bob Taft signed the bill
in January, he had dozens of inquiries about the training.
Since then, 200 people have taken the class.

“It’s been so popular I haven’t gotten much sleep since it
started,” he said. “We see family folks, a lot of husbands
and wives, people interested in the chance to carry handguns
legally … I’ve had people well into their 70s.”

Connie Pelchat said women have good reason to carry a
firearm. She already owns a 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

“I was almost robbed twice and I was stalked,” she said.
“So it’s a comfort and this class has really shown me a lot
of things.”

Under the new law, a gun must be concealed — under
clothing, for example. If the owner is driving, it must be
in a holster in plain sight or locked in a case or the glove
box.

Carrying a weapon in certain places, such as schools, police
stations, and courthouses is prohibited. The Toledo-Lucas
County Public Library Board of Trustees decided to ban
firearms inside its buildings.

Karen Douglas of East Toledo said she plans on taking the
training next month and is buying a small revolver, perhaps
a 22-caliber.

“If I need to protect my kids I won’t hesitate,” she said.
“Some people criticized this law, but the criminals have
always carried guns. Now they know that we can too.”